Compare towns
Gardner vs Windsor Locks vs West Springfield Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
West Springfield Town has the shortest commute (19 min average).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Gardner | Windsor Locks | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148 |
12,579Lowest |
28,772Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
40.1±2.6Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Gardner and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| West Springfield Town and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gardner and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$81,205±$13kHighest about the U.S. average |
$69,371±$7k 14% below U.S. |
| Windsor Locks and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$321,500±$16kHighest 3% below U.S. |
| West Springfield Town and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,144±$68 19% below U.S. |
| Windsor Locks and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150 33% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,380Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
60.1%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| West Springfield Town and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #273 of 282 in MA | #109 of 149 in CT | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | — | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Gardner High | — | West Springfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | 13.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.